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Ana Mercado

Professor Sgobba

EDU 201-2002

09 December 2021

Educational Philosophy

My educational philosophy is Progressive. I truly believe that teachers should be seen as

guides and coaches to their students. It is crucial to me that my forthcoming students learn

through using their interests and watch their growth throughout the school year. I do feel that

learning all comes from the student. If they are internally inspired, they will discover how to

solve problems. Other people may have the same educational philosophy or believe the quiet

opposite. Some places across the country have already implemented this philosophy into their

education. For example, a school in Philadelphia, The School in Rose Valley, has progressive

education at the core of its philosophy. This school implements all of my beliefs and has

excellent takeaways. According to The School in Rose Valley, "Progressive classrooms use

integrated curriculum so that students learn by forging connections between concepts and ideas

across different disciplinary boundaries.". As I've said previously, allowing students to learn

through their interests can motivate them. If we continue to allow them to create connections in

their learning, then it will let them attain knowledge and concepts easier.

My education philosophy does revolve around why I am choosing this profession. I have

faced only a few mentors who have guided me to where I am today. The teachers I have met

along my journey made me realize how passionate you need to be for this profession. I've met
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many teachers who were more Essentialists rather than progressing over the years. Essentialists

revolve around memorization. They believe students' primary role is to memorize and master

facts and information (Parkay 126). My philosophy goes the opposite with this belief and relies

heavily on my profession. I was able to observe a spectacular classroom this year. The teacher I

was minding informed me that she believed in was her student's personal development. She

wanted her students to flourish, even if that signified she had to switch up her lesson plans to

accommodate her students' interests. I quickly was able to feel how a teaching environment is.

She welcomed her students with phrases of encouragement. She also praised them for every

single victory they received throughout the week. There was a time where it was difficult for her

to reach their attention, but the minute she included their interests, it changed. I knew in these

few moments how important it is for us as future educators to contain students' appeals.

I am not the only one who believes we should focus more on our students rather than

merely the content. According to the Miquon School, "One of the strong voices in that element

of Progressivism was that of John Dewey, who was influential in changing the focus of education

from the school to the student." John Dewey is one of the greatest influential philosophers I have

read about when it comes to teaching and education. He essentially has a view of education that

highlights the necessity to learn by doing. Dewey believed that human beings learn via a

'hands-on' approach. I surely take this into account for my future students. I want them to

discover with experiences, hands-on activities, and personal self-growth.

This allows me to dive into how I can implement my philosophy into my classroom.

Teachers help students learn what is important to them rather than passing on a set of so-called

enduring truths (Parkay 119). As stated by Parkay, it's noteworthy to teach students what is truly
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valuable to themselves and their education. Rather than focusing on memorization or numbers,

let's focus on guiding them to learn through their natural curiosity. According to SIUE,

"Progressivists believe that education should be a process of ongoing growth, not just a

preparation for becoming an adult." As I've stated previously, students can thrive when learning

through their personal growth. It's meaningful to celebrate every small victory. It is also crucial

for scholars to be proud of their development regardless of where they are at in the standards.

Students should also exercise their brains by problem-solving and thinking critically, resulting in

learning. Students should feel prepared for the real world and undergo the everyday setbacks that

anyone would feel. It can even be merely changing a tire, making a meal, writing a check, work

ethic, and so on. Schools could become more hands-on learning, and education would continue

to progress. Preparing students for state assessments is different compared to my examinations.

I'd want to see my students evolve over the school year. Instead of seeing that one of my students

received a D, let's take a step back and see if they enhanced from last time. Students can go from

an F to a D, and I would consider that a tremendous victory.

To develop into this career, I'd need to continue finding more opportunities that revolve

around working with children. Finding more volunteer opportunities, jobs, and so forth can help

me discover better qualities for this field. Progressive teachers understand that meaningful

teaching and learning requires positive, caring relationships between teachers and students

(Parkay 119). Having a progressive philosophy must require patience, positivity, and guidance. If

we are focusing on celebrating students' growth and building student-to-teacher relationships,

these qualities are vital. I want to continue to build on my traits so I can become better prepared

for the future. As I'm headed towards this career, I want to become prepared to put my
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philosophy into life. I want my future students to get the best experience and education inside my

classroom. Mr. Barkan (an educator) believes that his primary function as a teacher is to prepare

his students for the unknown future (Parkay 119). As I am learning and taking in as much

information and resources as I can for my future students, I still believe my students will always

be first. As Mr. Barkan said, it is my job to prepare my students. I want them to thrive throughout

the school year and to recognize their growth.

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Works Cited

“The Core Qualities of a Progressive Classroom.” Philadelphia Private Progressive School,

https://www.theschoolinrosevalley.org/the-core-qualities-of-a-progressive-classroom/.

“History of Progressive Education.” The Miquon School,

https://miquon.org/about/progressive-education/history-of-progressive-education/.

Parkay, Forrest W. Becoming a Teacher. Pearson Education, Inc., 2020.

Progressivism, https://www.siue.edu/~ptheodo/foundations/progressivism.html.